Love Truly, Kiss Slowly
by kstewandrpatz
Summary: When Edward and Bella meet on a glamorous Christmas gala their attraction toward each other is instantaneous. They spend a magical hour together and begin to dream about a bright future when reality suddenly comes crashing down on two and tears them apart. AH, HEA. Inspired by the 'Dior Homme' campaign film featuring Robert Pattinson.
1. Prologue

Prologue

**BPOV**

I swallow hard and don't say a word. All I'm capable of doing at this moment is praying. Praying that I didn't just end the best thing that ever happened to me. Praying that I didn't push him away and that he will forgive me.

Edward's quiet words pull me out of my thoughts. I look up and see him standing with his back to me. "How could you even think that I'd hurt you like that? After all we've been through... I just don't get it." He shakes his head before turning around to face me. "Tell me, Bella! Tell me why you'd think I'm not being honest with you?"

Seconds pass without either of us saying anything. The silence is deafening; you could hear a pin drop. When I have finally gathered enough courage to speak, it comes out as nothing but a whisper, "Because I love you and I'm scared."


	2. Act One - Chapter One

**A/N:**

**I'd like to thank my wonderful beta Rose a.k.a. shadowed by passion. Without her patience and ideas my story wouldn't be what it is now, so thank you from the bottom of my heart! To my friend and pre-reader Jeanne, thank you for believing in me - I couldn't have completed this story without you!**

**I'd also like to thank "Project Team Beta" for taking a look at this chapter. Thank you very much for your corrections and tips, ladies.**

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Act One

Chapter One - The Christmas Gala

**BPOV**

-two weeks earlier, December 7th 2013-

"Hold on!"

Just as the waiter tried to walk by me, I gently grabbed his arm, and slightly leaned forward. After making sure that no one would be able to overhear our conversation, I whispered, "I know Mrs. Caprano makes many of you guys uncomfortable with her not so subtle flirting, but _please_ keep in mind that if Mrs. Caprano is happy _Mr._ Caprano is happy. And when Mr. Caprano is happy, he pays me well, which means _I_ pay _you_ well." I gave him my best puppy eyes. "So please, Julio, try to give her at least a small smile. Do it for me, hmm?"

It didn't take long for me to see in his face that he agreed to man up a little and kiss Mrs. Caprano's ass. I beamed a flashing smile at him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, Julio! I knew there was a reason why I made you my head waiter!"

Julio rolled his eyes but was unable to hide his grin from me. After readjusting his bow tie, I released my hold on him and watched him disappear into the large ballroom's kitchen. It was then that I heard an annoying and irritatingly high pitch screech in my left ear.

"Beeeellaaa! We have a problem at twenty-four!"

I groaned and raised my left arm. I carefully pressed the little button I had clipped to the inside sleeve of the black blazer I always wore for high class events. I spoke into the small microphone, while simultaneously moving in the direction of table twenty-four. "I'll be right there, Alice! Whatever is threatening to bring forth the apocalypse, please convince it to wait until I'm there, okay?"

"I'll do my best." I heard a faint click and knew that Alice had turned her mic off. Circling a number of lavishly decorated round tables, and desperately trying not to run into dancing couples and chatting businessmen, I made my way to my best friend and business partner.

Alice and I established 'Belle Fête' five years ago, and even though my father was more than willing to lend us his moral support, I had to decline his financial help. I was determined to start from scratch and conquer the catering and event management world on my own. Well, our own, to be exact. Surprisingly, it didn't take too long for me and Aly to make a name for ourselves. Her amazing eye for detail and great sense for the latest trends in interior design made her a fantastic decorator. From the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, to the napkins on the tables and the bows on the chair covers, it all matched perfectly and always suited the occasion. She was also the one responsible for the entertainment program and often came up with wonderful, new, but relatively unknown artists. Last week, for example, the one hundred and fifty guests of Stephen Miller's sixtieth birthday party enjoyed the awesome performance of Pete Perkinson, a sandscape artist. Quicker than some people can think, this man can create 'pictures' by using nothing but sand. Needless to say, it was the hit of the evening.

My job was mainly to coordinate. I worked out time tables for the programs, spoke to the clients about their wishes regarding the menu and theme of the party, and made sure that Alice and the rest of our team got all the information they needed to do their jobs well.

The team consisted of twenty-nine people in total: fifteen waiters, all trained and accustomed to serving the best of haute cuisine to awfully rich people, making sure to anticipate the wealthy guests' every wish in the process; two chefs (we decided pretty quickly that it was better for us to have our own cooks as it meant less misunderstandings and a more comfortable working atmosphere — plus Jacques and Matt both had two Michelin stars under their belt, so they knew what they were doing); five kitchen hands; five young men who helped us with the decorations and furniture (you wouldn't believe how many boxes of equipment we needed for just one event!); and finally, Aly and me. The latter currently seemed to be very busy sugar coating a slightly overweight old lady. I noticed her bleach blonde hair immediately and knew that I would need all my people skills to deal with this particular difficult guest. So determined to avert a possible World War Three, I quickly walked over to table twenty-four.

"I don't give a damn whether it was his fault or not! What I care about is that my three thousand dollar designer dress is ruined because this moron can't watch where he's going! It's red wine, for God's sake! No dry cleaning will get that stain out without actually making it worse! I expect you to cover the costs for the dress! I swear that if you don't —"

That's where I had heard enough and put on the brightest, yet fakest smile I could muster. "Mrs. Caprano, hi, I'm Bella Swan, the event manager. I'm sorry to hear about this unfortunate incident, but let me promise you that we will take on complete responsibility for the damage done to your dress. You look beautiful by the way! Valentino, isn't it? Wonderful designer – you have immaculate taste!" To be quite honest, I only knew whose dress she was wearing because a small label with the name peaked out under the lace. That and I saw Alice in the periphery of my eyes, subtly mouthing the word 'Valentino.' And even though the dress was, in fact, beautiful, it was at least two sizes too small for good old Mrs. Caprano and slightly see-through…

Mrs. Caprano huffed a couple of times before turning toward me. "Well, Ms. Swan, it's good to hear that a woman your age knows her designers. However, that doesn't change the fact that this imbecile here made a complete fool out of himself and me! She pointed at herself and suddenly looked genuinely hurt. Poor Dave, the waiter who had spilled the red wine on her dress, had his eyes on the floor, looking ashamed. I'd definitely needed to do something for his self-confidence once this despicable woman had left. "I'm at the Christmas gala of 'Brennan & Sons', not some random cocktail party! I'll be able to see the photo of myself in this pitiful situation in every gossip and lifestyle magazine around the country! Do you know what that means to me? To my reputation?"

Seeing that her face got redder by the second and her eyes looked like they were going to pop out at any minute, I reassuringly put my hand on her right shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. With the calmest voice I could produce I replied, "I assure you, Mrs. Caprano, that it was an accident and my team and I, most importantly Dave here, apologize for all the inconvenience you had and will have because of that. Why don't you let me send one of my drivers over to your apartment and get another dress for you? Meanwhile, I'd like you to enjoy some free champagne and a wonderful mousse au chocolate that is not listed on the menu but rumored to be the creation that will give our amazing Chef Jacques Bernace his third Michelin star? What do you say, Mrs. Caprano, do you want to be the only person who has tasted this deliciousness before anyone else?"

The blonde woman didn't say anything for a couple of seconds, but instead looked stunned and surprised. I guided her to her table and let her sit down. Then I quickly turned to Alice who looked equally impressed. I leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "Get Bryan and tell him to drive over to the Capranos' apartment. The address should be listed in the guest list. Let him explain to the maid what happened, and I'm sure she'll know which dress her 'Madame' can wear to this occasion." Alice nodded and disappeared faster than the wind. I turned to Dave and hunkered down a bit to be able to look into his eyes. "Hey, look at me." Before I could say anything more, he began to violently shake his head.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Swan. I didn't see her — she came from the dance floor and chatted with another lady. And before I knew what was happening, she fell into a boisterous laugh and threw her arms in the air. Ask Debbie, she waited on twenty-three and was on her way back to the kitchen. One of Mrs. Caprano's arms hit her in the jaw and she didn't even notice! The other arm hit the tray right out of my hands. I swear, I tried to catch the glass, but it just—"

"Dave, it's okay. Things like this happen. It's part of the job." I sent a side look to Mrs. Caprano, who tried to somehow cover her stain with two napkins. "It's just bad luck that you had to spill it on her; she's a snobbish old lady. People like her will never change. But again, don't worry about it. I'll ask Jacques to make her his famous mousse au chocolate. Let me tell you no one can resist that!" I winked at him and felt relieved to see a smile. A small one, but a smile nonetheless. "Now go to the kitchen, get a glass of water, and take a deep breath. You'll switch tables with Carol; which means seven, eight, and nine are your responsibility for the rest of the night."

"Thanks, Ms. Swan. Really."

"It's okay. Now go!" He ran off, and I got back to Mrs. Caprano. After assuring her that everything was being taken care of and apologizing once again, I left the back of the ballroom and walked to a dark corner where I would be alone. I leaned against one of the few beautiful marble columns that decorated the grand room and took a deep breath. Closing my eyes, I tried to keep myself calm, and, more importantly, awake.

The organization of this event took Aly and me more than three months – even though it wasn't the first time we had done it. For the past ten years, 'Brennan & Sons' held their annual Christmas gala at the Bowery Hotel in New York City. For the third time in a row, my team and I had the privilege to be responsible for the catering, decoration, and entertainment program. It was a huge project that brought us good money, but for three months we pretty much resembled the walking dead. Sleep was a luxury; we only went to bed if we absolutely had to.

It didn't help much that Dad was less than thrilled that I agreed to work with 'Brennan & Sons'. They were one of the most successful and influential brokerage firms in town — second only to 'CS Inc.', my father's firm. For years, dad and Jeremy Brennan, the current CEO of 'Brennan & Sons' had been fighting for clients and insider tips. Knowing which stocks look promising and having ideas of what to do with those that don't is what makes the big bucks these days. If you were good at it, that was. And believe me when I tell you, Charles Swan, was _really_ good at it! So when he heard that I accepted the offer made by Brennan - well, actually his PA Jessica Stanly, as Mr. Brennan was apparently far too busy to handle things like that himself - he didn't talk to me for two weeks. After that, he spent three weeks begging me to cancel and reminded me what people would probably think if they heard that Charlie Swan's daughter was doing business with Jeremy Brennan. Not that it should matter, I had yet to even meet the man. But I put my foot down and got what I wanted. At twenty seven, I was entitled to do that. Now, whenever dad heard about how much Aly and I invested in making this gala a success, he grunted and changed the topic.

I raised my arms and rubbed the palms of my hands against my eyes. Sighing, I looked around the ballroom and I knew it would be a long and exhausting night. After taking a deep breath, I made my way over to the kitchen. God, if I only could get out of here!


	3. Act One - Chapter Two

**A/N:**

**Thank you all for your kind words! It's amazing to hear how much you enjoy the story already. Now it's time to meet Edward and let him run into Bella. ;-) Let me know what you think!**

**Again, a big thanks to Rose for beta'ing this story . The same goes for "Project Team Beta".**

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Act One

Chapter Two - The Meeting

**EPOV**

Could this night get any worse? I had my doubts. Not only did I have to wear a freaking tuxedo that made me look like a penguin, but I was also forced to make small talk with pretty much every person in this Godforsaken room. The cherry on top? I had to pretend I enjoyed it. Did I mention we had invited about three hundred and fifty guests?

So, while this black and white contraption I was wearing made me sweat like I was standing in the middle of Death Valley, I desperately tried to ignore the not so subtle sexual innuendoes of the ladies I encountered. I tried with all my might to come up with a believable excuse that would eventually get me the hell out of here. Unfortunately, I wasn't really good at that, because I was still sitting next to Mrs. Barnes, the obnoxious wife of George Barnes, pardon me, _Sir_ George Barnes _II_, one of our most important business partners from Great Britain. As the deputy CEO of 'Brennan & Sons', it was my job to kiss as many asses as possible tonight, including that of said Sir George Barnes II and his wife. Mrs. Barnes, or _Claire_ as I was told to call her, was about fifty-five years old but looked like she thought she was still sweet sixteen. Her dress was actually slightly longer than a scarf and had horrible leopard prints on it. I had no fashion sense whatsoever but, even I could see that this was not what women her age wore these days... What _any_ woman with mild taste wore these days, to be honest. Her outfit was 'perfected' by a push-up bra that almost made her breasts fall out, red stiletto heels, and red lipstick smeared on her lips.

"So, anyway, this is one of those rare occasions when I get to accompany my husband on his monthly adventure to the great new world." She grinned seductively and put her hand on mine. "And I have to say that not only do I enjoy this buzzing city, but I also get to know Georgie's important and... handsome business partners." I desperately tried to ignore the awful shudder her thumb elicited as it rubbed the knuckles of my right hand, yet once she moved over to my wrist, I had enough and carefully pulled away.

"I can assure you, Mrs. Barnes, all of us at 'Brennan & Sons' are over the moon to finally meet the woman George seems to be so captivated with. He never forgets to mention his beautiful wife and speaks very highly of you." In all honesty, I could count the number of times Barnes talked about his trophy wife, but she didn't really need to know that.

While the overly affectionate woman sitting right next to me went on about the hardships of being part of the rich and famous, I let my eyes wander around the room. I had to say, this year the ballroom was extraordinarily well decorated. It was neither too pompous nor too cheap looking, but exuded a warm and friendly atmosphere instead. Each of the forty tables in the room, as well as the chairs, were covered in white linen cloths, and every guest would enjoy his meal using golden plates and cutlery. The crystal glasses matched the crystals of the giant golden chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. At least, as far as I could tell. Red name plates, delicately decorated with golden swirls, showed everyone where their places were and a huge Christmas tree in the corner of the room added to the festive vibe of the gala.

I watched a waiter about to walk behind the white curtain that separated the ballroom from a small kitchenette when I laid eyes on a beautiful young woman who stopped him in his tracks. She was petite, maybe five foot four inches, and had a slim yet curvy figure. Her exquisite brown hair flowed down her back and, if I didn't know better, I'd say it was literally shining in the light. She got closer to the waiter and seemed to whisper something in his ear. He was having difficulties hiding a grin and looked at her reassuringly.

I was overcome by a strong urge to find out more about this girl. I wanted to know her name, what color she loved, what her hair would smell like and how it would feel to have her skin pressed against mine. But more than anything, I wanted to be close. Close enough to look right into those big eyes of hers that were currently directed at the waiter. Close enough to feel her breath on my face. Close enough to hear her voice...

_WHAT THE HELL?!_

"I mean, yes, I'm very well aware of my strict requirements when it comes to my staff, but I also pay them very well for their services. So, I really don't think it's too much to ask that a maid should make her way quietly to the table instead of stomping like an elephant! Who wouldn't be bothered by that? She can sue me if she wants but no court in the world will listen to her!"

Mrs. Barnes' voice managed to put me out of my shameless ogling. I slightly shook my head in an effort to come back to reality after that dream-like state I had just been in. I mean, what was that? I've had my fair share of women, but none of them made me feel even half of what I was currently experiencing. And all she did was stand ten feet away from me, damn it! I hadn't even talked to her!

A rough hand on my thigh made me jerk my head around in shock. Suddenly, I was face to face with Mrs. Barnes, a.k.a. 'Cougar of the Year', who grinned at me seductively. At least, I thought it was meant to be a seductive grin. In reality her smeared red lipstick made her resemble The Joker. Her hand rubbed up and down my thigh, getting way too close to my crotch. Before she could start grabbing my junk, I gripped her wrist and stood up from my chair.

"I feel like having a Scotch. Um, do you want me to get you something from the bar?"

"Oh dear, that would be very sweet of you! Why don't you bring me a sherry, hmm?" Her scarf-like dress rose higher up her thighs and I knew that if I didn't make a beeline for the damn bar soon, I'd see things that would probably make me go blind forever.

After a quick "Sure," I bolted and intended to do anything but get back to that damn table. There were three hundred and fifty guests in that room, it shouldn't have be too complicated to hide from one particularly pushy one, should it? While walking toward the bar, because I definitely needed a drink after all that, I turned around and looked toward the white curtain, in the hopes of seeing the mystery brunette again. To say that I was disappointed when I didn't see her would be an understatement.

_I hope she hasn't left..._

Sighing, I turned back and ran straight into something hard. I lost my balance a bit, but managed to stay on my feet. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for whoever walked right into me. I reacted instinctively and reached out to grab her waist. She gripped my arms and together we somehow kept her from falling to the floor. Once she managed to steady herself, she looked up, and a smile crept up on my face.

_Her._

"Oh my God, I'm really sorry! I..." She put her hands in her brown hair and took a deep breath. "My mind was somewhere else and... and I didn't look where I was going! I really apologize, sir. I hope you didn't hurt yourself — oh no." Her eyes, which were the most stunning brown I had ever seen, by the way, grew big, "_Did_ you hurt yourself? I'm going to call the paramedics..." She released her hair before putting her hands in the pockets of her black slacks. "Shit, my cell phone's back in the kitchen! Damn it! Hold on, I'll let a waiter know what happened and he'll call an ambu—" It wasn't until I put my index finger on her plumb and rosy lips that she stopped her rambling. I couldn't help but chuckle at her embarrassment. It was cute. And it also made her get an incredibly alluring blush…

"It's okay, I'm fine. I also wasn't looking where I was going, so I'm at least as responsible for this little collision as you are. But really, no harm done." Her chocolate eyes relaxed, and I grudgingly removed my finger from her mouth. After staring at her for a few seconds, I was suddenly overcome with concern. "But what about you — are _you_ all right? I had to grip you pretty tight so you wouldn't fall over. Maybe I gave you bruises?" I quickly, yet carefully touched her shoulders, arms, and hips before looking at her face. I prayed to God that I hadn't hurt this delicate creature in any kind of way. It pained me to even think about it.

She smiled warmly at me and said, "No, I'm fine as well. Really, I should thank you for not letting my butt introduce itself to the floor. It's just…" She quickly closed her eyes, furrowed her brows and sighed. "It's just that tonight has been a lot of hard work and I'm in desperate need of some fresh air to keep me from falling asleep. I've been up since three this morning and I guess I stopped thinking straight about two hours ago. So, I really didn't look where I was going."

She looked apologetically up to me, and I gave her what I hoped to be a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I guess all of us know what it's like to have a fucked up day at work."

For a second it seemed like she was surprised by my choice of words, but as quickly as it came, the expression was gone. Instead, she smiled a breathtaking smile and answered "Yeah, I guess." After a moment of silence, she stepped a bit closer and held out her right hand to me. "Um, I'm Bella by the way. And who is my mysterious savior? You need to give me your name, you know, so that I know where to send the fruit basket." A mischievous grin adorned her face but was quickly replaced by panic. "Or do you like bathing products? Some people like bathing products. Oh, or flowers! I guess you can't go wrong with flowers. Even though you're a guy and not many guys care for flowers." She looked at me with a shocked expression. "Oh my God, are you allergic to flowers? How terrible it would have been to —"

"Wow, wow, wow. Easy, now. You don't need to send me anything, Bella. As I said, no harm done." I grinned at her and was relieved to find her visibly relaxed. It also occurred to me that I still had my hand on her hips. And I had no plans of removing it — _ever_, if I had a say in that_._ "But if you want, you can make me a plaque that I can put on the wall in my office. 'Edward Cullen — Butt Savior'. I could live with that." I winked at her.

"Edward, huh?" Bella grinned and looked down, again with the adorable blush. What the hell was this woman doing to me?

I knew right then that this was the moment when we would normally have to say goodbye. But I was unwilling to let her go, still too intrigued on finding out as much about her as I could. Nervously, I pulled at my hair — a habit I inherited from my father — and looked around the room.

At first, my eyes fell on Mrs. Barnes, who tried to surreptitiously steal my champagne glass before downing its content in one large gulp. Right opposite to her, Mr. Barnes was highly immerged in a serious discussion with my boss, which meant that, sooner or later, I would have to join them. The whole room was filled with awfully rich aristocrats and businessmen, who thought they were better than the person they stood next to. Everyone pretended to be nice and supportive, when in reality, I knew they were already planning how to drive them into financial ruin. Power and money — that was all that mattered. Don't get me wrong, I loved my job, I really did and I wanted nothing more than to be announced to be Jeremy's successor next year. But I also believed that this business could be run without malice and corruption, and once I was my own boss, I'd make sure to show everyone how.

First, however, I had to decide what to do next. To be honest, I only waived my options for a moment or two before I turned back to the most beautiful and alluring woman I had ever seen and said, "You know, since I'm already your savior and all, I... um..." I ran my hands through my messy hair again, "...I feel like it's my duty to get you some fresh air. After all, I don't want you to collapse right here, causing a scene and all. What would your employer think?"

Once again, Bella stepped a little closer and I could see that she had trouble concealing her laughter. "Well, she would probably be too occupied to give a damn. As she'd be the one lying on the ballroom floor."

"What? You did all this?" I quickly motioned to the room with my arm and looked at her in surprise.

"Mmhmm, I did. And to be honest, I can't stand another minute in this room. It has basically been my home for the last week, so — " She stopped talking and looked at the floor, blushing. "I think I'd really like to take you up on that offer." Tentatively, she raised her head and her brown eyes met my green ones. A wide smile started to appear on her face and I didn't hesitate another minute as I grabbed her left hand. It was warm and, dear God, so soft! Some kind of amazing electrical shock went through me and I felt more alive than I ever had. I linked her hand with mine, grinned at her like a madman, and made my way out of the ballroom, pulling her with me.

Once we were outside, we walked along the hallway and turned a couple of corners until we came into the lobby. "Where are we going?", Bella asked and I could hear the laughter in her voice. Her chuckle caused an incredible sensation to tug at my heart, and a fuzzy feeling erupted in my stomach.

Even if I was repeating myself: _WHAT THE HELL?!_

"You'll see. Where is your coat?" I slightly turned around and saw how much her eyes sparkled from excitement. The night definitely turned out to be better than I thought possible.

"The hotel allows us to put our stuff in the meeting room."

"Perfect," I said and squeezed her hand a little.

When we arrived at the reception desk, I saw Carl, the concierge, smiling at me. 'Brennan & Sons' was doing pretty much every business meeting and conference at the Bowery Hotel, so Carl and the rest of the team had become familiar faces over the years.

"Mr. Cullen, how may I help you?"

I leaned toward him and whispered; trying to make sure Bella couldn't hear me, "You could do me a huge favor. It might be a bit unconventional, but I'd be forever in your debt." I looked around and saw that Bella was watching my conversation with the concierge carefully, all the time a small smile on her face. I turned back to Carl and said, "Quite honestly, I have no idea how to tell you what is happening right now, because I don't really understand it myself. This woman, she's..." I hesitated a moment and sighed before continuing, "she's incredible, and I've only met her ten minutes ago. She'd really like to catch some fresh air and I want to take her some place quiet. So I was thinking that maybe we could go to the roof, where we had some of the company's cocktail parties during the summer. I'm sure she'd love the view!"

Carl didn't say anything, but looked at me in thought instead. I gazed back at Bella, who was now admiring one of the paintings hanging on the walls. Her brown eyes focused intently on the brush strokes and elegant figures, while her rosy lips were formed into a cute pout. The creamy skin of her cheeks was still slightly flushed and her mahogany-colored hair framed her face perfectly. She was absolutely beautiful! Still looking at Bella, I whispered to Carl, "She's amazing. I've never felt anything like this before — even though I have no idea what it actually is that I feel. But I know that I can't let her go. I just can't."

After a few seconds of silence, I heard Carl's deep voice in my ear, "Well, I should probably grab you a couple of thick blankets then." I turned around abruptly and found him smiling at me. "The very moment I met my wife, Darla, I knew she was it for me. The one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. We married two weeks later — that was 22 years ago." He crouched down a bit and opened a door beneath the desk. He pulled out two thick, bordeaux-colored blankets and handed them over to me with a smile. "The door to the roof should be open. Don't let this one get away from you, Mr. Cullen."

I grinned like a fool. "I won't."

Full of enthusiasm, I pulled Bella by the hand. "Come on, beautiful, let's go outside!"


	4. Act One - Chapter Three

**A/N:**

**Thank you guys, for your support! "Love Truly, Kiss Slowly" has already had over 3,000 clicks and was favorited by almost 200 readers! How freaking awesome is that?! I hope you will all enjoy the next few chapters as much as the last ones. After all, it is now that Bella and Edward really start their ride together! :D ****It's slowly starting to get hotter between these two! :-)** Please, leave me a review once you're done reading and let me know what you think of our lovely couple!  


**As always, a BIG thank you and hug to my beta Rose! You've shaped this story into a wonderful piece of fiction!**

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Act One

Chapter Three - The Roof

**EPOV**

The moment I opened the metal door at the end of the stairs, we were welcomed by a cold breeze. Thousands of crystal snowflakes were falling from the sky and landed on the concrete surface of the roof, which already looked as if it was covered by a huge, fluffy white blanket. Pushing the door as wide open as I could, I stepped away a bit and motioned for Bella to go first. She walked a couple of steps and took a deep breath, all the while never letting go of my hand — not that I would have allowed her to do that anyway!

With her eyes closed, she slightly leaned her head back. Snowflakes caught in her brown locks, which were slowly blowing in the wind.

"Ah, this is amazing! I love winter nights; the air is cold, yet so incredibly fresh!" She stood motionless for a couple of minutes while I simply watched her in admiration. When her brown eyes eventually reconnected with mine, she smiled shyly. "Thank you, Edward! This...it's..." She sighed and gave my hand a squeeze. "Thank you."

I looked at Bella's beautiful face and didn't really know what to say, so all I did was stare at her for a few more moments. Her glistening eyes were filled with warmth, gratitude, and something that I was unable to pinpoint at that point in time. I stepped a bit closer and smiled seeing the intense blush of her cheeks. I liked to think it was the result of me and not the cold.

When I saw Bella shiver and pulling her black coat tighter around her body, I came back to my senses. Smirking, I tugged at her hand and pulled her toward the rear right corner of the roof. "Come here, let's get more comfortable." She followed me without hesitation and I was again feeling this strange yet wonderful sensation in my heart.

"What do you wanna do?" I could hear the excitement in her voice and it made my smirk grow into a huge grin.

"Well, I thought since you needed some fresh air and the sky is rather clear tonight, despite the snow, we might enjoy a few minutes looking at the stars." Only reluctantly I let go of her hand and grabbed the two thick blankets I had tucked under my left arm. "Here, hold this for a moment." I gave Bella one of the blankets and quickly unfolded the other. They were rather heavy, as they seemed to consist of two thick layers, both made of bordeaux-colored wool. The threads of the latter must have been around seventy-five yards thick and based on the softness of the texture I guessed that it probably came from merino sheep.

I spread the warm blanket on the floor, not even caring in the slightest whether the dampness of the snow could ruin it or not. Paying a couple of hundred bucks to replace it would be more than worth it, if it meant I could spend some time with Bella. Then I took the other one from her and grabbed her hand again. Carefully, I pulled her down on the blanket with me and made her lie on her back. I then unfolded the second one and put it tightly around us.

The minute I was lying flat on the ground, I was surprised by a very eager Bella, who quickly scooted over to me before putting her head on my shoulder. I turned my head to look down at her, chuckled slightly, and raised both eyebrows in question.

"Body heat," she said quickly. "You know, if we keep close together then we won't get too cold too fast." Bella looked shyly at the blanket and began playing with one of the thick threads. Her cheeks became even redder than they already were and I couldn't help but smile. If she only knew how much I enjoyed having her that close...

Putting a finger under her chin I forced her eyes to meet mine. "It's fine. Really." Smiling, Bella lay back down and snuggled into my shoulder. I decided to be bold - seizing the moment, so to speak - and put my right arm around her waist before pulling her even closer. _God, she smelled so good!_

"Besides," she mumbled into my coat, "you're a lot more comfortable than the hard concrete floor of the roof — even with all those layers of snow." I heard her giggle and couldn't help but join in.

"I'm glad I can be of help, madam!" I felt my shoulder shake from her chuckles and focused on nothing but the way she felt in my arms; how effortlessly her body molded to mine, and how absolutely perfect that moment was.

After we had looked at the stars for a while in comfortable silence, Bella's quiet melodic voice was suddenly in my ears. "When I was five years old, I was allowed to visit my grandparents over the summer. They lived in London and had a wonderful old house, well, more like a mansion, I guess. My room was under the roof of one of the house's small towers. It had been every child's dream, really. There was a huge four poster bed with a canopy. A beautiful handmade doll house stood right next to it — it had had three floors and at five, I had been almost as tall as it was. In another corner, two large bookshelves stood against the wall, completely filled with the greatest children's stories and fairy tales. And while dozens of boxes containing puzzles, games, color books, and marbles had also been scattered all around the room, it was with books that I had spent, by far, most of my time with."

She chuckled a bit and I leaned my temple against her head, paying close attention to every one of her words. "My grandma started teaching me how to read and though I had loved to learn new letters and words, there had been nothing better for me than listening to my granny's voice when she read me a story. Every night, we would sit under our self-made tent — made of a simple white cotton sheet and the pole of the floor lamp. A flashlight had been our only source of light; well, that and the twilight of the night... And I would lie in grandma's lap and listen to the magnificent stories she read to me."

Bella was quiet for a moment and I couldn't help but press a barely there kiss on the top of her head. I couldn't describe what it meant to me that she was sharing such a precious memory with _me_; the stranger she had met only minutes ago. Maybe, whatever was going on between us, had some kind of chance, some future... Closing my eyes I deeply inhaled her scent and reveled in the way she felt against my body. And for a moment, I thought I heard a small sigh...

"When the nights had been warm enough to leave the balcony door of the room open, I would look outside, watching the stars, while granny read. I remember one night, when we had just finished another adventurous story; I couldn't help but ask gran a question that hadn't left my mind for the last few days.

_"Granny, where do the stars come from?" As I felt her move beneath me, I turned my head and looked into her eyes._

_"Oh why, my sweet Bella, have I actually never told you that story before? Well, we can't have any of that now, can we?"_

_I shook my head._

_"See, when I had been around your age, which has been a long time ago," I snickered and snuggled closer to her, "I had asked my mummy the same question. She smiled at me and answered that when the first baby laughed for the very first time, that laugh broke up into a thousand pieces of light. They all went skipping about before finally finding their places in the sky. And from then on, every time a new baby was born, its first laugh became yet another star at the sky, watching over the child until its time was over.'"_

Again, Bella became quiet and I turned a bit to look down at her. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "Bella?" My voice was nothing but a whisper.

"Granny died at the end of that summer, just one day after I had gone back home. The doctors had said it was a stroke. In all those years since her death, there hasn't been a single day that I haven't thought about her and the wonderful time we had together in London. And yes, I still like to think that she had been right, and every person has a star watching over them." She sniffed and suddenly started to sit up and wipe away the tears that were now rolling down her cheeks. I leaned up on my elbows trying to look at her, but she wouldn't have any of that.

"Bella? Bella, look at me."

"I'm sorry, Edward, this is really stupid. You bring me to this beautiful place and then I start getting sentimental over _stars_." She sniffed once more and got up abruptly, the blanket falling on the floor.

"Bella!" I jumped up immediately and went after her. I grabbed her elbow and forced her to turn around. "Hey, hey, hey. What do you think you're doing, hmm?" She avoided my eyes and I crouched down a bit to make her look at me. "Bella, I feel so honored that you have shared that memory with me. Your grandmother sounds like a wonderful woman and I'm glad you got the chance to spend so much time with her before she died." Finally Bella's eyes met mine and once again her deep brown orbs lured me in like nothing else. It was indescribable what this girl was doing to me. She was everything I never knew I wanted and I was determined to not let her slip through my fingers.

Her lips parted slightly and I couldn't help but cradle her face in my hands, looking directly at her. "If I'm ever lucky enough to have a family..." I took in a deep breath and looked down for a moment to control my emotions. It was futile, though. " If I'm ever lucky enough to have a family, I will certainly tell my children the same wonderful tale about stars your grandma told you. Because, when I was a boy, I would have loved to know that someone was watching over me."

"Edward." Her voice could hardly be heard, but as our faces were only inches away, I understood her clearly. She was breathing fast, clearly visible in the cold air, and her eyes were focused on mine, occasionally jumping to my lips.

"To hell with it...," I murmured and finally allowed my emotions to guide me. Gripping her waist with my hands, I quickly closed the distance between the two of us and pressed my mouth on hers.

If I had died in that moment, I would have gone to the grave as a happy man. The sensations coursing through my body were mind-blowing to say the least. It was a feeling I had never felt before. As Bella's soft lips moved against mine, my whole body burst from excitement and happiness. Passion, lust, and a feeling frighteningly similar to love filled me as I pressed her tiny body against mine and continued devouring her pouty lips. And if I thought Bella smelled good, it was nothing compared to how she tasted! Like the sweetest honey paired with an indescribable aroma of home. If my brother had heard my thoughts at that moment, he'd probably asked me if I had lost my man card. Maybe, I had, but I was only telling the truth after all!

When I started sucking on her bottom lip, a quiet moan escaped her. That was all the motivation I needed, so I moved my left hand to her neck before losing it in her soft hair. Carefully, I brushed my tongue over her lips, asking for permission to take her in completely. And Bella didn't hesitate because before I knew it, our tongues were fighting for dominance, all the while caressing each other. The buzzing feeling I was experiencing rose to an impossible high and I felt like I was drugged or enchanted. And I guess I really was — this woman owned me, completely! It didn't matter that we had only known each other for less than an hour; we fit together like two pieces of the same puzzle. It felt right. _She_ felt right. And _we_ felt perfect.

Bella's hand was finding its way to my hair as she leaned into me, as if trying to get even closer than she already was. Eventually, her fingers landed at the nape of my neck, playing with the soft hair there and massaging my scalp. This time it was me who was moaning and I deepened the kiss even more.

And even though I could have spent the rest of my life doing nothing but kissing Bella, nature demanded that I had to take a breath every once in a while. So after what seemed like an eternity, but was actually still too short, we broke apart. I leaned my forehead against hers and listened to our heavy breathing.

"I... I know I should be sorry for kissing you like that; after having just met you but... I'm really not." I kept my hands firmly on her waist and prayed to God that I hadn't just made the mistake of my life. Yet when I looked up at Bella, I was met with her warm chocolate brown eyes and the most breathtaking smile I had ever seen.

"Good." She leaned in once more and gave me a chaste, yet loving kiss on the mouth. We grinned like fools at each other when, suddenly, Bella leaned down and pressed her hand against her face. "Ow, damn it!"

Afraid that she was hurt, I immediately kneeled down in the snow and wrapped an arm around her back. "Bella, what is? Are you hurt? Tell me!" My voice did not just sound desperate but was, in fact, filled with concern and urgency. In my head, I was already going through all the hospitals in the area, trying to figure out which one was closest to the hotel. When I was about to pull my cell out of my coat, I heard Bella mumble.

"No, it's just—" And before I knew what was happening to me a good handful of snow landed right in my face. I was completely taken by surprise and didn't move for a couple of seconds, all the while listening to Bella's faint but never-ending giggles. "I'm sorry Edward! Please don't be mad." I looked up and found her standing a few feet away from me, grinning widely, and not the slightest bit ashamed of her actions. "I just... I just really couldn't resist! See..." And then, with an impish smirk on her face, Bella quickly crossed the distance between us and leaned down to whisper in my ear. "After all, you did just kiss me without permission. I think you deserved some kind of punishment!" The amusement in her voice was unmistakable and put a huge smile on my own face.

With a playful growl, I gathered some snow in my hand and threw her a mischievous glance. "You have no idea what you've just started, missy!" I lunged at her, tossing snow her way, and before I knew it, I was in the middle of my first snowball fight in years. And what a fierce one it was! Powdery dust was trickling down on us wherever we went, and I'm sure our laughter could still be heard blocks away.

Bella's big advantage had definitely been her size. Her slender figure had let her round corners quicker and with more ease than me. More than once, she managed to wriggle her way out of my grip. In the end, however, it was a flat chimney that meant her doom. Bella decided to use it as a shortcut and jumped over it. Unfortunately for her, she lost her balance on the slippery snow and slid a couple of feet before eventually falling on her butt. She tried her best to get back on her feet as quickly as possible, but simply wasn't fast enough. I grabbed her coat, pulled her to me, and slung my arms around her waist from behind. "Gotcha!"

Bella shrieked and started laughing. She struggled the first few seconds to get away, but soon relaxed in my arms and leaned back into my chest. We both got quiet for a moment and I bent my head down so I could kiss her ear and breathe in her intoxicating scent. Vanilla. And a bit of strawberry.

"What do you say we go back downstairs and grab a hot chocolate? This wet, if we stay out here any longer, they'll soon be able to put a stovepipe hat on our heads and will try to stick carrots up our noses." Grinning, I gently swayed her from left to right, never lessening my hold on her.

Bella turned her head around slightly so that she could get a better look at me. Her cheeks were still flushed, this time probably from our spontaneous snowball fight, and her eyes shined with happiness. "Sounds good. But we're taking the elevator, you almost killed me by dragging me up all those stairs!" Laughing she raised her left arm and put her hand on the side of my face.

"Well, what can I say? I guess the beautiful brunette who had the audacity to walk right into me made me lose all coherent and logical thoughts. Taking the elevator never even occurred to me." I leaned down and gave her a soft peck. I knew right then and there that I would never get tired of kissing her. Ever.

Bella looked at me sheepishly and grinned, slightly embarrassed, "Sorry."

"Nah, don't be. It was totally worth it." Smiling, I kissed her temple, took my arms from around her waist, and grasped her hand. I intertwined our fingers and moved toward the door, pulling her with me.


End file.
